On the recordJuly 7, 2015
I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Minnesota (Ms. McCollum). Ms. McCOLLUM. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of the gentleman's amendment. This amendment, as Chairman Calvert pointed out, is consistent with the recent National Park Service actions to further limit the display of the Confederate flag in units of the National Park system. Previous National Park Service policy had already provided that the Confederate flag would not be flown alone for many park flagpoles. On June 25, Park Director Jon Jarvis further requested that the Confederate flag sale items be removed from the National Park bookstores and gift shops. This also follows a decision by several large national retailers, including Walmart, Amazon, and Sears, to stop selling items with Confederate flags on them. I agree with these decisions and commend those involved for their prompt action. While in certain and very limited instances it may be appropriate in national parks to display an image of the Confederate flag in its historical context, a general display or sale of Confederate flags is inappropriate and divisive. I support limiting their use, and I rise in support of the amendment.
